I ON THE OTHER HAND, have been commuting an inordinate distance to a consulting gig, have been eating poorly, drinking WAY too much caffeine, not exercising, and not sleeping as well as I should have.
As you might expect, I feel terrible. Physically spent. I’ve been gaining weight and have less energy.
Bad Habits:
Not having had a commute for many years it was a shock to my system. There are many bad habits we have developed, but I’m going to pick on this one.
COMMUTING IS AN IDIOT TEST
I hated it, but had to do it – at least for a little while. But I knew it wasn’t sustainable. I talked with people who have done it for years and I just can’t imagine. I don’t get paid for the time I’m in the car. I don’t get to spend that time with my family. Even if I call my wife with my California approved wireless headset while driving, it isn’t the same. I’m just sitting there getting stressed, being sedentary, and watching my health degrade mile by freeway impacted mile.
Do Something About It:
I think I got lucky. I start a new job that has a 15 to 20 minute commute. I could use surface streets if I really needed to and could get there in 30 minutes tops. Certainly this will be a MUCH better commute, almost short enough that the word “commute” doesn’t seem warranted.
Now, any job can work you long hours, so it is important to have a Life-Work balance, not a Work-Life balance. Flexible start / stop times, working from home / remote / telecommuting are all things that I seek out so I can avoid sitting on the freeway or being away from my family any more than I need to. You need to deliver 100%, or even over deliver, but my approach is that if I’m providing great value to my employer then having some lifestyle flexibility seems like a reasonable trade. If that isn’t how the employer sees it, I’m happy to look elsewhere.
Brass Tacks
So let’s get down to it…
Exercise:
When I started my last job I exercised almost every weekday for 3 or 4 weeks. I’d get up a little early, do a 35 minute workout – but was happy if I got in 20 minutes – and was still able to get my work done. With a shorter commute this should be even easier to achieve. Bottom line: I know exercise is possible.
Nutrition:
Despite talking with Coach Greg about GOOD nutrition habits, I’ve been persisting on a diet of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and diet mountain dew. I think my insides are just full of fat and corrosion. I need to get some lean meat, green leafy vegetables, and a variety of other things into my “regular staples” category. Per Coach Greg’s recommendation, this will take some planning in advance of my week, but the payoff is worth it.
Medication / Calories – Limits:
You may not be diabetic, so calories are more relevant to you. But I like to look at the carb AND calorie count. If there are a lot of simple sugars in a product, it may not be the best choice. I’ve noticed that my insulin for each meal has gone from about 3 to about 5. That’s a bad trend. SO, I’d like to start restricting my carbs. This is actually a good thing for almost everyone. It isn’t a low carb diet, it means you cut out things like regular soda, desserts, candy, excessive bread, and so on. The “Plate Diet” is a good measure and something I’ll try to think more about, which is 1/2 of your plate should be vegetables, 1/4 protein, and 1/4 carb. And eliminate the sauces, unless you REALLY know what is in there, most sauces are full of sugar and quickly ruin a healthy meal.
Motivation
I’m not so motivated, but I’m getting there. I’m mentally working myself up to make this happen. I know my first week at my new job will be packed full of meetings and project ramp-up. But once I’m over the hurdle, I need to get myself moving.
Ultimately the best motivator is thinking about my family. I want to be around and living healthy with them as much as I can. Being diabetic is a big contributor as well. For me, these two things make the attempt at healthy living a “have to.” I realize this isn’t the case for most of America, where we are getting fatter, more unhealthy, and more morbidly obese. It is astonishing to me that 2/3 of America is overweight, and nearly half of those are morbidly obese. Bottom line for me is that I CAN’T let that happen to me, my family is too important, and being a role model for my daughter is too important.
Beyond the “have to” are the people around me. We all need more motivation, and I’m lucky to have a wife and friends who have health and wellness as a priority. Surrounding yourself in a culture of people who take this stuff seriously is important. It really is true that “your friends make you fat” or at least help you along the way. The good news is that the opposite is true as well. So surrounding yourself with people who understand that diet and exercise are the key to healthy living is essential.
What Am I Going To Do?
I already made a significant reduction to my commute. Now I need to start planning my exercise schedule and nutrition for the week. It will take time, effort, and may not always be what I want to do.
My goal is to have a plan in the next week, and after I get through my first week at the new job, be implementing it. So that I’m accountable, I’ll post back and let you know my progress.
